Aero and auto tire



Aug. ll, 1936. J. v. MART| N AERO AND AUTO TIRE Filed May 2, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. ll, 1936. J v MARTN 2,050,352

' AERO AND AUTO TIRE Filed May 2, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. ll, 1936. J v MARTIN 2,050,352

AERO AND AUTO TIRE Filed May 2, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 m, p Q- 2/ Z/ 2.3 Z z Patented Aug. 11, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE' 2,oo,352 Amo' AND AUTO 'mm James V. Martin; Garden City, N. Y. Application May 2, 1933, Serial No. ssaoos 20 Claims.

This invention relates to tires for aeroplanes, automobiles, railroad cars and kindred vehicles and aims to provide a light, strong and durable tire not subject to thedangers from punctures 5 and uneven tire pressures found in pneumatic type tires.

I am aware that, over a period of many years, other inventors have striven to accomplish the above objects and while they have paved the way toward success, they have fallen short due to imperfections of the tire structure which it is the purpose of the present invention to remedy.

One of the difliculties which, in my opinion, has frustrated former efforts to produce a light, durable tire has been the poor disposition of. rubber so that at high speeds the heat increment is greater than the radiating area, can dissipate; Another difficulty is to be found in a' too rigid tread portion. The present invention aims at a happy combination of flexible rim and elastic spokes, adapted by their novel shape and relative positions to each other to co-operate in afiording a better curve of Shock absorbtion and greater lateral strength than can be found in earlier designs.

The present invention is an improvement on my former disclosures Patent No. l,954,214 issued April 10, 1934 and Patent No. 2,016,095 issued October 1, 1935.

The other objects of my invention will become apparent' as the following Construction and arrangement of parts is studiedz- In the drawingsz- Figure 1 illustrates my invention applied to a typical aeroplane or automobile wheel.

Fig. 2 is a view partly in section taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view in cross section through the center of one of the spoke elements, taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a section showing details of the top of the spoke.

Fig. 5 shows in section the internally disposed brace within the upper part of the spoke.

Fig. 6 shows in section through the center of one of my spoke elements, where a brace is inserted in both the upper and lower part of the spoke.

50 Fig.' 7 shows the railroad adaptation of my in- 5 Fig. 10 isa diagrammatic view of how my invention in cross section, while Fig. 8 shows a view vention departs from a true circle under load conditions.

The numeral I designates the hub of a. vehicle wheel and 2 the typical disc which connects hub and rim. 3 shows a typical wheel compartment 5 adapted for an internally expanding brake and 4 indicates a brake drum. 5 indicates the transverse brace to which the rubber spoke or element 6 is cured at the wheel rim and 1 shows a steel insert in the channel brace for screws 8. 9 indi-.10. cates the diagonal cross cord or rib of the spoke 6 while lil indicates the web portion and Figs. 2 and 3 show at li the expanded portion of the spokes where they are vulcanized to the corrugated metal rim z. A rubber tread !3 is cured 5 to the outer side of the fiexible steel hoop or rim |2 and each corrugation may be regarded as a hoop or ring as more fully disclosed in my patents above noted. The tread is molded so as to provide antiskid grooves M running circumfer- 20 entially between the tread strips around the tire in the radial plane and grooves l5 running transversely across the strips. The grooves M are deeper and the intervening strips |3 are narrower than those shown in my former Patent No. 25

2,016,095, above noted, and the narrowstrips !3 in Figs. 2 and 6 are centrally located relative the wider. and stifier marginal strips: This is the reverse of my former showing and tends 'to afford flrmness to the tread marginal strips while `permitting a. softer central tread portion. Reference is hereby made to my co-pending divisional application Serial- No. 86,872, filed June 23rd,` 1936 which deals more specifically with my novel tread configuration and railcar tire. It will be noted that the rubber from the tread is continuous, Fig. 2, around the end of the hoop !2 and unites with the expanded portion'of the spokes 6. It is contemplated that holes may be had in the corrugated band in between the 40 rings to increase the bond of the rubber spoke to the tread. Holes IS, for rubber rivets are shown in Figs.'7 and 9. Fig. 6 shows the rubber spoke with screwed attachment means to the wheel and also to the .tire rim.

In order to cover up the spokes for aeroplane use a, circular disc of elastic material may be used l'l, attached to the outer tire portion as by screws lil and having its center omitted and a wire !9 holding its inner edge.

Figs. 7, 8, and 9 show my invention adapted to rails 20 and the tire rim z is welded or otherwise Secured to a metal rim 2| having a rail flange 22 and a rubber tread 23. t Fig. 10 illustrates how my tire works under load,

24 being the displaced center of the wheel under load and 25 the center of a. true circle indicated by dotted lines. The rim |2 is not rigid enough to 'support the 'load delivered to its upper portion by the spokes G without deformation; it is designed and proportioned in gauge and depth of corrugations or rings to the load to be carried and also to the number and strength of the elastic spokes to be ,employed. The spokes are under an Initial tension, when the wheel is unp loaded, equal to the amount of rim defiection plus the axle departu-e, so that the spokes at the bottom of the tire under load are neutral as to tension or compression. The other spokes will be under tension, either holding the axle against gravity to the upper rim-or holding the lower sides of the. rim from bulging too far outwardly. It is contemplated to so proportion the spokes and rim that no .failure of chrom-moly steel or other suitable metal will result, or in other words to keep the rim flexng within the elastic limits of the metal employed. No load is to be taken in compression by the spokes, but they are shaped to buckle up at their centers when stressed in compression beyond the static load of the vehicle.

Attention is called to the' method I employ to prevent ametal to metal movement between the metal brace 5 and the wheel discs 2; Figs. 2, 4, and 5 show a neat fit for the ends 'of the braces 5 against the insides of the discs 2 and the tapered neck of the screw 8 within the also tapered hole in the disc 2, see Fig. 5, allow a wedging action between the metal parts to bind them together so that no movement can take place. Thus no friction or noise will be had from chafing of one metal or rubber part on another and only molecular action of the tire parts will impart flexibility and elasticity.

The cross ribs or cords 9 are important to the lateral strength of the tire and the device of multiple hoops with great bonding area and permitting direct bonding between the tire'tread and the spokes is also important.

It will be apparent that'wde modiflcations ot my invention can be eilected without departing from the teachings and I do not limit my invention to the particular adaptations shown and described.

What I claim as new isze 1. In combination with a vehicle tire an elastic spoke having thickened portions crossing the said spoke diagonally from the lateral margins thereof.

2. In combination with an elasticspoke tire a molded rubber spoke including a web and thickened portions crossing the said web diagonally from the corners ofthe said spoke' 3. In combination with a vehicle tire and wheel a rim each for both tire and wheel and molded rubber spokes having ribs crossing from the corners there'of and said spokes forming the main connections between the said rims.

4. In combination with a wheel rim a tire including a fiexible tread member uniting with rubber spokes to carry the loads from the said rim from its upper half, each of said spokes having thickened portions crossing each other diagonally from 'their outer corners.

5. In combination with a vehicle wheel, a wheel rim and a flexible tire rim, having a tread cured to the outside thereof, the said tire rim being corrugated circumferentially ,for stiflness and rubber spokes extending transversely across the inside of the said corrugations and carrying the vehicle weight in tension from the said wheel rim to the upper half of the said tire rim and the lateral margins of each said spoke united with the said tread.

6. A combination according to claim 5 and the said spokes having diagonally crossed ribs from their corner margins.

7. In combination with a tire having a corrugated rim tread portion, elastic spokes connecting the load with the upper part of the said portion 10 and including transversely disposed braces arijaoent the said corrugations.

8. In combination with a wheel rim and a tire,

a hoop having circumferentially parallel corrugations, elastic spokes connecting the said hoop and rim and transversely disposed braces in the planes of the said spokes and forming part of the said spokes adjacent the said corrugations.

, 9. A combination according to claim 8 and the said spokes having diagonally crossed ribs from their lateral margins.

10. In combination with a vehicle tire having a flexible rim including corrugations' and carrying the vehicle load in tension from its upper portion.

a tread vulcanized to the said rim, grooves in the said tread extending within some of the said corrugations and the said tread at intervals extending on the inside of the said rim.

11. In combination with a vehicle wheel and tire, molded rubber spokes carrying the wheel weight in tension to the upper part of the said tire and a corrugated band of hoops flexibly transferring the said weight to the ground, a tread cured to the said hoops on their outside face and each said spoke having ribs crossing each other dlagonally from its lateral margins and expanding to approximately double area where attached to the inside for the said hoops.

12. In combination with a vehicle wheel and tire, a tire tread and elastic spokes spacing the said wheel and tread apart, a flexible cover with an open center for the side of the said tire, the outer margins of said cover attached to the said tread and its inner margins overlapping portions of the said wheel and provided with a tension,

free floating ring.

13. A wheel and tire combination including molded rubber spokes to carry the wheel loads in tension to the upper halt oi' the said tire, a flexible hoop forming an outer tire rim having a rubber tread portion as the outer periphery ot the said tire and each said spoke having thickened diagonal parts crossing each other from the corners thereof.

14. A wheel and tire including a corrugated outer rim for the said tire, molded rubber spokes including internally disposed metal stiffeners to carry the wheel leads in tension to the upper halt of the said rim. e I

15. A'vehicle tire and wheel combination including a hoop forming a portion ot a tire tread, elastic spokes carrying the wheel weights in tension to the upper halt ot the said tread, some ot the said spokes having ribs crossing 'diago'nally from their lateral upper and lower margins and uniting with the lateral margins of the said tread, the said tread being approximately fiat.

16. In combination with a tire which can'ies its loads through elastic spokes, the elastic spokes being provided with metal stiffeners and thickened portions crossing each other diagonally from the lateral margins ot the said stifieners.

17. A combination according to claim 16 and the said spokes under an initial-tensiqn.

momen and e tire rim saced &part and held in letersi licnment by elastic epokes, the lnner end ot each seid poke attached to a. metal stltlener. means to clamp said st'ifleners to the said wheel and a, rubber trend covering the outside of the said tlre rim and uniting with the outer ends of the said epokes, the said union aflordlng a. oontlnuous tension medium !rom the said wheel to and around the edges of the said rim.

19. In combination with' a vehlole wheel. a. wheel hub and a. breke drum .located within radial planes containing the ende of said hub, elastic spoke elements provided with a metal breee 'fol-mins 'a yieldeble support tor said wheel !rom the top part of a tire tread portion. -tle ende ot the eid breoes edepted to form a tapered wedsln'c attachment to the said wheel to prevent !rietlona movement in the said attachment.

zo. In combnato with a. tlre carrying its radil and lateral lod through elestlc spokes !rom the top o! e. tlre trend p'ortlon. the said treed portion tiflened by semi-Held hoops loceted inw'dly o! elstlo :round contacting matermi, the outer mel-zlm o! the said spokes expanding and uniting with said material around the lateral edge& o! the outermo'st of the said hoops end the said expanded union keptunder .distension due to en initial tenslon ot .the said sp kes.

JAMES v. MARTIN. 

